#usually i make things with a purpose but this time i really just wanted to draw amit and sammy again LOL

[unknown-cold]

In this interview Amanda said something that caught my attention. Do you think that in ep 8 Caitlyn will talk about what Jinx did to her when she kidnapped her? Bc Amanda said that in ep8 there's a Caitlyn line that will make us say "Oh so that's why"

Amanda means this line that Cait is going to say will let us know why she was so mad at Jinx in ep 3 and how Caitlyn went completely blind when she saw Jinx in her target and bc of her anger and also her fear and terror of Jinx, Cait has completely lost control of herself in this moment. (there is someone who made a post on this topic @loycos and talked about what happened to Cait in ep3 and how Cait didn't see Vi or Isha in front of her bc of her anger and her deeply terrified of Jinx) I mean look at her eyes and the expression on her face, yes she looks angry but she is also terrified.

This is a natural reaction. I mean for example, imagine that you see something that scares you so much. There are two reactions, either flight or fight, and these reactions always come without a person thinking. At this moment the person is only thinking about getting rid of the thing that scares him, and he does not focus on what is around him bc these strong feelings control him.

Anyway, what makes me sure that this scene might happen in ep 8 (Caitlyn talking about what happened to her when Jinx kidnapped her) is Reed Shannon (Ekko VA) comment when he saw the drawing and said "I thought this was a leak" Reed might be joking as usually, but why this particular drawing and why he chose this word "leak".

But honestly if this scene actually happened and we knew what happened to Caitlyn, it would make us understand more why she was so angry and scared of Jinx when she saw her in front of her and it would also explain why she literally went blind and didn't see anything around her at that moment, neither the child nor Vi, all Cait saw was Jinx, she just wants to bring down Jinx. I mean look at these pictures she is so terrified of her

Again Caitlyn's insistence on killing Jinx in the scene in ep 3 was not only motivated by revenge on Jinx, but also out of fear and terror of her.

And not like those idiots who say that Caitlyn wanted to kill the child on purpose to get to Jinx or even say that she wanted to kill Vi too, or bc she's a cop and the cops kill children and blah blah... That's really ridiculous and annoying!! Bc if we focus a little bit on the period that Caitlyn went through we will see that Cait didn't have time to process all these things that happened to her, from the torture that happened to her when Jinx kidnapped her, then the killing of her mother, then the attack on the memorial ceremony. (I know that Jinx is not the reason, but from Caitlyn's perspective she thinks that Jinx and the Silco followers are the reason)

And in the end I hope that no one comes who doesn't like the post bc I am defending Caitlyn's character. If you don't like this character I don't care, there is no need for you to write a stupid comments. Please don't tire your little fingers if you don't like my post block me this is better for you and me. I will not waste my time responding to you, I will delete your comment and block you immediately.

I am a student at the Faculty of Psychology, and when I talk about trauma and the interpretation of human behavior and reactions, I know well what I am talking about. Bc most of the characters' reactions in this show are very realistic and need to explanation, writers do not want to explain everything in the show, they want viewers to occupy their mind and explain the events themselves (And I still repeat the point that the show focuses on the development and complexity of the characters more than anything else, and does not focus on solving political issues, the show is not about politics, okay)

And btw some people ask me about my opinion of Jinx's character, I have no problem with her character at all, I like her and I understand her condition, when I criticize her actions, it doesn't mean I hate her.

One day I may do a post about her character development and her condition, but I see that there are many posts about her and her actions, and I feel like I won't say anything new about her. Unlike the rest of the characters like Vi and Caitlyn, there are not many people talking about them. And maybe I will make a Viktor post bc I really like the development of his character. When the show ends, maybe I will.

[escapisttt]

a lot of this was supposed to be posted for redacted kinktober but. college got in the way. i’m ovulating let me have this. it’s very long OOPS WHO LET ME OUT OF MY CAGE.

NSFW LMAO

lasko has a puppy kink. he likes being told he’s a good boy and craves to be of service to dear. would do anything to please them and do it well; it’s what turns him on the most. leash and collar. god, he’d lick the fucking dirt from their shoes if it made them smile down at him. yeah perhaps him and ash could bond over this. the difference between them though is that during those moments, lasko will never goof off or make jokes meanwhile ash is a bit of a brat. lasko would never disobey dear, but ash likes to push baabe’s buttons so that they “force” him into submission.

milo uses “good girl/good boy/good pet” hnnnngghh. as well as “pretty girl/pretty boy/pretty thing” oh my god. he’s so good at praise.

milo is usually pretty physically rough with it, going fast and deep, but you wouldn’t know that if you were just listening to his voice. sometimes while he’s absolutely fucking sweetheart’s brains out, he’s right in their ear speaking so softly and encouragingly with soooo much praise. “that’s right baby, ‘m i doin’ it right?” when he KNOWS he’s doing it right, he just wants to hear their confirmation. “yeah, lemme touch you, you like that? tell me you like that.” he looooves making sweetheart tell him how they’re feeling, and when they inevitably confirm that it feels good, he nods and doubles down. he craves good feedback, it’s his praise kink. “awwww i know it feels good baby, ‘m gonna make it feel even better.” it’s not condescending, it’s confidence. he knows what he’s good at, and he wants to get better. he’s a huge pleaser.

this is self indulgent if you aren’t into daddy kinks don’t read this one lmao. but daddy milo is soooo real to me. “was that too much? aw ‘m sorry baby, daddy’ll make it feel better. shh shh it’s okay, daddy’s sorry…” OUUUGGHHHH. “daddy wants what you want baby, tell‘im what you want. c’mon, be good and use your words, daddy wants to hear you,” i can’t do this anymore RELEASEEE MEEEEEEE. milo does it tastefully okay he’s not one of the weird ones TRUST ME.

milo who subs occasionally. to put a number on it, about 10% of the time. it may not be his natural default, but when the time is right, it’s so right. it happens one of two ways: either milo had a really rough, tiring day and needs to be coaxed into being cared for, or his sweetheart had been relentlessly teasing him. he’s such a brat at first, rejecting every dominant advance from sweetheart with a performative cocky demeanor, but it breaks down quickly enough when they touch him in the right places.

porter is such a masochist, but not in a traditionally submissive way. god, he loves when treasure slaps his face, yanks his hair, and scratches his back deeply on purpose. he likes being choked a little sometimes as well. but when all of these things are enacted on him, he smiles. he’s got a cocky grin and he’s nodding emphatically, his hips pistoning, almost twitching, even if he’s not inside of treasure. he’s groaning and his eyes are rolling back, but he’s not submitting. he’s daring them to do more, knowing that the only one whose limits being tested are theirs: how much are they able to take of porter when he’s losing himself to the pain? the more intense the pain, the harder he fucks treasure. basically porter is saying without saying, “the more you hurt me, the more i’ll pleasure you.” treasure essentially controls their own pleasure through him; if they want him to go faster, they dig their nails into his back or his scalp or his hips. and as soon as they let go, he lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and eases back down to a slower pace. and porter knows what they’re doing. he likes it. he likes that they have that level of control over him, but he’s absolutely not a whimpering mess like lasko.

david does not like using toys or bondage material. that’s his job. he’s very animalistic in the sense that he does not want anything, even objects, interfering with his time with his mate. he’s the type to get jealous of a vibrator or any sex toy. not because he’s worried about it doing a better job than him, but because it was the thing pleasuring his mate and not him. if his angel is in the mood, he wants to know so he can take care of it. an unspoken rule in the shaw house is that neither of them are allowed to touch themselves. david sticks to this rule through and through, but if angel is caught in the action, the punishment is pretty intense, meaning overstimulation. david is usually quite rough and is already a lot to take even when he’s going slow, so him when he’s angry can be… a lot. he’s got angel on their tummy in the prone bone position and is absolutely laying into them, growling in their ear with genuine irritation. “you should’ve told me… why didn’t you tell me? is this not cutting it for you? you had enough of this cock? i thought you liked it. thought you liked being full of me, not a piece of fucking plastic.” yeah he’s angy. and he’s not being mean to them, he just wants to prove to them and remind them how good he makes them feel. they shouldn’t want anything else. and when angel does it because they think david is too busy for them? yeah he would stay up during all hours of the night to prove them wrong. “how do you think like that, hm? you think i’d put work above this? god angel, i do everything to come home to you, give my time to you. you don’t get that? let me keep showin’ you….”

azmidi who literally nuts on a lot of phone call role plays with sweetie (it’s canon yall hear the way his breath shakes all the time). just hearing their pretty voice, god he feels his pants getting tighter (if he wears those lol). he demands they tell him about their day even though they know he knows exactly how their day went. it feeds into that delicious fear of stalking, the idea that their every movement is being tracked and scrutinized and constantly mulled over. he wants to listen to them talk while he palms himself, nodding along with their version of events, happy that they’re being obedient and not lying to him. he doesn’t have to take himself out of his pants, though he likes to most times. he can come without that, just dry humping into his hand and pressing the phone to his ear, letting out the occasional moan. he knows sweetie can hear him, and if they show signs of getting flustered, it only makes him harder. “you know what you’re doing to me, right? you—you know… oh god…. hey, don’t stop. don’t stop talking. you’ve been doing such a good job, sweetie. let me hear you.”

william “eye contact” solaire. hngggnhnnhg. let’s imagine he’s got a long term partner, right? he is suuuuuuch a gentle lover. he’s not about rough sex very much, he’s too sophisticated lol. no, the actual reason he isn’t too keen on rough sex is because to him, his lover is a deity; an angel that walks the earth, the image of divine perfection. he isn’t going to treat them like a ragdoll, he worships the air they breathe for gods sake. he doesn’t see himself nearly worthy enough to be their companion, their equal. he gives them everything and then apologizes because it just isn’t enough. when he gave them their crown? “i hope you like it. the jewels are the finest i could find of course, for you. i—i perhaps could have gotten larger ones… i apologize. oh, but the weight may be a bit much for your neck… oh dear.” yeah this man is rich but he fucking won’t be if his partner doesn’t stop him from spoiling them. but i’m ranting, this is supposed to be about sex lmfao please ask me to make a post ab william i will do it so fast. this aspect of himself shows especially when he and his partner are intimate. he’s on his knees a lot of the time, staring up at his lover with worshipful reverence. he pleads in his soft spoken voice, his eyes fluttering shut as they put their hand on his cheek. “my love, what would you have me do for you? ask me anything.” and he means anything.

[bouquetface]

Jungkook - Vedic Chart Observations + Predictions

My first time making this post I had the wrong birth time. I've finally found the time to do a proper read with hopefully the correct time - 3:23-3:35 PM

Also I hope everyone just takes this as fun. I do not mean any disrespect in making assumptions. I am well aware, I do not know him or his life. Please take it as entertainment.

I think it'd be fun if any long-term fans could fact check my assumptions based on his chart. And I really want to emphasize this is just for fun. I really hope I don't offend anyone 💗

This is using vedic so signs and planets will all be different from western. The timing section uses both western & vedic methods.

Money and Family/Early Life:

2nd H - Jupiter in Cap - This is Jupiter's debilitation. This can indicate financial hardships throughout one's life. However, in D9 his Jupiter is exalted in Cancer . This shows as he ages, his Jupiter gains power. In his case, Jupiter gains the power to financially bless him. He may have started out in a family that didn't have the best financial standing but it was destined that he would improve this area of his life.

5th H ruler (Mars) in 11th H - This is another wealth indicator. It shows someone who is eager and motivated to go after their desires. Mars is very protective of it's wealth and desires in this house. Funny enough mars as 5th ruler in 11th can indicate older brother helping you gain wealth since mars shows brothers/male friends and 11th H shows gains and eldest sibling. Jungkook has had BTS all help him gain wealth & achieve his desires & vice versa.

2nd H is ruled by Saturn - This shows the wealth would come through hardwork and patience. The negative of this placement is it indicates carrying family burdens. In Jungkook's situation, he started working very young (as a teen) and likely is the main provider for his family.

Saturn AK as ruler or 2nd & 3rd in 4th H - This shows it is apart of his life's purpose to take burdens off his family. If you believe in past lives, this shows needing to repay his parent’s soul who he may have known in his past life. If you do not believe in past life's, it simply shows life's purpose is connected to working and his family.

4th H ruler (Jupiter) in 2nd H - This is an indicator of expanding your family's legacy. This manifests different for everyone’s charts tho. IRL I've this in the chart of someone who took over their family restaurant and made it much more profitable. This placement also shows the mother runs the family and household. The household likely doesn't follow the traditions of the man/dad will run the home. The mom can be like a teacher and guide for everyone in the family.

Saturn in 4th H - shows his mother and home instilled traits of discipline, hardwork, patience, maturity. This can show his mother may have been the main disciplinary parent when he did something wrong as a kid. In the sign of pisces the usual saturn in 4th energy changes tho, here Saturn isn't as tough, pisces is an emotional and adaptable sign. His home life wouldn't have been as limiting as other people with Saturn in 4th. His early life may have been routined and structured rather than strict and cold.

3rd H ruler (Saturn) in 4th H - Occasionally this shows a child who learned to speak slowly or at a later age than norm. A quiet or shy kid/toddler. I'm not sure if anyone other than his mom and dad would be able to confirm that tho lol. This also shows his regular communication style to be generally truthful and keeping things to the point and short - not short & sweet tho because Saturn brings honesty, making him less likely to sugarcoat things.

Moon in Leo 9th H - Moon represents the mother in vedic but when in 9th it can provide insight on the father. In this case, his dad takes on a motherly role as well. If you believe in past lives, this placement shows you knew your father's soul in a past life. He may have even helped him out in the past life too. His dad may have been encouraging and supportive. Moon loosely conjunct Mercury in 9th shows his dad may be one of his closest friends.

Education, Travel and Father:

Moon in Leo 9th H - I think Jungkook doesn’t have a college or higher education. However, this placement shows someone who values formal education. Someone who can desire to change or get involved in the government through education or politics. However, I don't believe Jungkook has ever spoken on politics.

In his case, his 9th H planets seem to manifest as interest in foreign travel. 9th is the house of higher education and travel so this makes sense. His higher education can be seen as being gained through experiences - especially experiences abroad.

This placement shows becoming very religious/spiritual/philosophical after the father's death. I am unaware if Jungkook has ever spoken about religion before tho. If he has, he may embrace that religion more than he already does.

Sun in 9th H/9th H ruler in 9th - This shows strong interest in travel. This shows the father instilled strong morals. The father figure in his life gives wise advice. This is a blessed placement to have - it shows good past life karma and strong wealth indicator. In Jungkook's case, the ruler (sun) is placed well in it's home sign conjunct a benefic (moon). This adds to the strength of this placement. This shows Jungkook could have made an excellent preacher, motivator or teacher. His dad or father figure may have been a great at these things too.

Spouse/Marriage:

Venus in 10th H - In a man's chart this indicates meeting the wife in a professional setting. His 7th H ruler and DK being in 9th indicates he will meet his spouse when far from the birth place - possibly abroad - for a work related event.

Venus in Virgo 10th H - This Venus is debilitated. This doesn't mean the spouse will be bad or he will have a bad love life. It shows the planet Venus is unable to freely express itself in this sign's energy. Virgo is practical and analytical, it won't let Venus go recklessly indulge itself in love, money or other pleasures.

Virgo Venus has a practical approach to relationships - venus won't risk anything for love when in virgo. It shows Jungkook won't fall for someone based off appearance. He likely would disagree with the idea of "love at first sight". His approach to relationships is more cautious and logical. He knows the consequences of love and relationships. He'll consider the worst case scenarios before even approaching someone for a date.

He needs to know his wife on a much deeper level to trust her. Venus in 10th H shows he needs her to understand his career and image. She will be cautious and hardworking herself to understand how it is to be in the public eye.

The difficult part of having Venus in Virgo shows Jungkook can be very hard on himself. Venus here can make one feel love is to be earned. This makes one very critical of themselves, it can make them connect their self esteem to their looks, money and career. Venus can feel unworthy, Venus is constantly looking to perfect itself when in Virgo.

7th ruler (Mercury) in 9th H and DK in 9th H - This shows the spouse may be younger or youthful in appearance. She may have higher education and/or she is well travelled. She is likely a foreigner - this doesn't always mean someone from a different country, places in your own country can be foreign to you. His wife's culture and background will be new/foreign to him.

Her communication style will be charming. Something about her communications style really shines - ex: she could have pretty voice, she could be very funny, she could speak eloquently, she could be witty/clever- she could even be a writer professionally or as a hobby. However, it seems likely she would have or will later in life have published work.

Moon in DK - Typical description of Moon DK is a sensitive spouse, however in this case moon is in a fixed sign. This makes the spouse less likely to be overlysensitive but she will still have a sensitive side to her. This also shows the spouse can treat Jungkook like a child at times. After marriage, she takes on a nurturing role - ex: consistently asking him how did you sleep? did you eat? Due to DK conjunct mercury she can be very chatty too so she'll likely be the type of wife randomly texting him these questions but also other random things that come to mind or occur in her day. Not saying she's scatterbrained but she is fast thinking and moving - she could be very witty/funny.

DK conjunct Mercury and SUN shows she might be younger but she won't be unsuccessful. This is a hardworking lady. She has earned her way to wherever she is and she will not take shit. This is the sun's influence. She will be prideful and at times authoritative & stubborn. She’ll have a leadership position or leadership energy. Being stubborn is highly likely due to all these planets being conjunct in a fixed sign.

She may be interested in humanitarian causes. This might be something she is educated on or talks/writes about at some point. DK in 9th H, she will share and educate Jungkook on her beliefs and culture. They may even do something related to speaking up for certain causes or charity events together at some point in their lives. Mercury and sun’s influence in leo 9th H shows standing up for something bigger than yourself.

Timing relationships:

Jungkook has a few late marriage indicators (Venus Virgo, Venus opposite Saturn, 7th H ruler conjunct Sun). He may still need to go through relationships before meeting his spouse tbh.

A lot of this is based on SR which requires correct current location. If he moves, a lot of this is unlikely to be true. So take it as entertainment:just for fun

Sept 1 2025 to Sep 20 2027 - There are indicators in dasha periods & SR of a relationship. However, based on transit and sr in 2026 it seems he will let something or someone go in favour of something else.

Mars in 7th house of relationships shows conflict with partners and south node over 7th h ruler shows letting a partnership go. This could be in a professional sense rather than romantic. Hard to tell because he is very private.

2028 - The SR does show relationships being a big focus on this year. However, SR 7th ruler (moon) conjunct uranus indicates an unstable year. SR mars, venus and south node are in 7th h these indicate ups and downs in relationships. It's like he can't decide how he feels or finds out something shocking suddenly & it changes how he feels- for better or worse.

2029 / Age 32 - This year seems pretty important for his career/image and money. He may be more public or more social irl. He could confirm his relationship this year or be more of public presence in other ways. However, this could also be in his personal social life. This why it's so difficult to be accurate with celebs, we don't actually see their real lives.

2032 / Age 35 - This is a highly favourable year for relationships. He'll likely marry this year.

Sept 1 2034 - Nov 30 2036 / Age 37-38 - This is likely when he'll have kid, make a big move, expand his family or home.

BTW I realize I didn't specifically state which year he'll meet his spouse just the year he might marry. This is because truthfully his relationship may begin in one of the years where another ends - not implying cheating or anything like that. It seems the start is unstable in some way - might meet and then separate before coming back together.

Anyways if you got to this point, thanks and i hope you enjoyed it. don't take it seriously, it's all in good fun. wishing him the best tho.

[igglemouse]

Hey look who's here to kick off my day, Niklas, the man of destiny himself. I'm not surprised but he is sporting a big smile on his face which I love to see! It's supposed to be Summerday, by the way, but as you can tell the weather here doesn't really think so.

"I was thinking," Niklas says after I invite him inside, his cheerful mood radiating off of him and bringing a smile to my face too. "It's summer, maybe we can go out and do some summery stuff?"

"Oh?" I glance at one of the windows and peer beyond the glass to see the dreary gray morning that is common here oft times in Windenburg. "It sure doesn't feel like summer."

"That's Windenburg for you!" he agrees with a laugh and yeah, can't argue there but what kind of summery things can we do with a day like this?

"What did you have in mind?" I ask.

"Just something simple, maybe, head out to the public pool?"

I can't help but smirk and tease him a little, it is a good idea buuuut I have a feeling I know why he's thinking about a little date out to the pool. "Ah, wanting to see me in a swimsuit then?"

So we head to the Bathe De Rill and thankfully we're a little early so the pool is pretty much empty. It's also raining which probably explains the lack of people but honestly why would rain stop a trip to the pool? You're going to get wet any ways, so what's the difference? Ah well, public pools are no fun if there's too much of a crowd.

After a few casual laps, nothing competitive, but we both use enough energy so that we had to pause and catch our breaths giving us a perfect time to start a conversation. "So, any water tricks you can show me?"

"Hmm? No," he gives his head a little shake, wading restlessly in the water. "It's always hard to manipulate the elements. Fire, water, air, those forces take a lot of skill and power to get a handle of."

"I can imagine but you're telling me you have no tricks at all!?" He's so lame sometimes! "Not even a bubble or a little sprout of water or-"

"Oh, I know a trick I can do with water?" He says but his tone is a little too playful now and it makes me suspicious of what he might say next and yet I can't help but ask.

"Yesss?" my eyes narrow, knowing the set up suddenly, it's going to be a lewd joke isn't it?

"I can show you later tonight."

Ugh, I knew it! Let me guess, something something make me wet something something? Yeah, that's He's also snickering like a child too as if he's told the most clever of jokes! All I can do is groan, roll my eyes, and float over to the edge of pool to make my exit.

He follows me outside of the pool and we both decide to hang out a little longer here. For a while we just walk, letting ourselves dry with the help of a very mild sun and a slight breeze but eventually we find somewhere to stop. Away from the trickle of people who have waited out the rain to visit the famous Bathe de Rill. I am mostly focused though on his watch, there is something about it that draws the eyes, it looks ordinary and yet clearly it isn't.

"So is that thing waterproof?" I ask, my eyes glaring at it as if it had asked me a question instead.

"Yea, fireproof too. It can withstand a lot, it's...well, it's very old. My great grandmother had her house burned down in a fire, attempted arson we think, but she later retrieved it in the ashes as if it were brand new."

"That...that thing seems pretty powerful?" Fire usually is all powerful, after all, it's like pure energy. Fire kills everything, doesn't it? Except for his watch I guess.

He shrugs as if it the answer was obvious. "Yeah, it is, but honestly it's a passive kind of power. Not an active kind of power."

"So you say it points you to where you need to be but for what purpose like...is it trying to help you succeed or..."

Another shrug. "Simply where I need to be, whatever that means. It's not always serving me, at least that's what I've been told but honestly I don't think my father even knows what it does."

"What do you mean?" I ask, because the more I hear about it the more confusing it gets. He used it to claim that that we were meant to be but what if it dragged him my way for another reason?

"It's...hard to explain," he rubs the back of his neck for lack of a better answer. "It's not trying to make me rich or anything, it's just simply...where I need to be."

"Ugh, I'm starting to understand why you avoid magic!"

I head back home with Niklas because by the time we left the pool night had fallen and you know he insisted on walking me home. He warned of vampires and werewolves and the mothman and bigfoot too...okay, he only warned me about vampires because he seriously has a hatred for them.

Either way, I mentioned to him that he couldn't stay long because I had some cleaning to do and once again he deployed his magic to help me out. Cleaning the tub with a few swirls of his arms and some sparkly sparkles on top of it and voila, a clean tub! Yeah so, that's a neat trick! I'd be fine with just learning that honestly.

Also, yes, he never did change out of his swimshorts? Yeah so, that was my day, I guess I made the most of it.

Episode List - Next Episode 3.3

[pokemon-studies09]

Illegal Pokémon Battles

Understandably, this is not a topic everyone wants to hear or talk about. These battles are violent and not for the faint of heart. However, there is a lot of misinformation on this topic and as graphic as it can be, I think it’s important for people to have a basic understanding. Note that I do not condone or support illegal battles. This is purely for educational purposes.

Legal Battles vs Illegal Battles

Legal Pokémon battles (usually called league battles or regulated battles) are a fun activity and a way to strengthen the bond between Trainer and Pokémon. They are much like a sparring match. The goal is to defeat your opponent, not injure them. These battles often have rules and regulations set in place to decrease the chances of serious injury occurring. Pokémon are expected to hold back and show restraint. If a Trainer’s Pokémon draws blood they are disqualified and the opponent wins by default. Another rule is that only battle moves are allowed as a means of causing damage to the opponent. What this means is that moves like Bite and Scratch are allowed, but biting or scratching is not. While casual battles among Trainers aren’t regulated since they often don’t have a referee to make calls, most Trainers prefer to follow the same rules.

Illegal battles do not follow the same rules. There aren’t nearly as many regulations set in place. Pokémon are encouraged to go all out and not hold back. Injuries are common and many of the Pokémon have scars from their battles. Both battle moves and non-battle moves are permitted.

Common Misconceptions

Many people believe that illegal battles are always to the death. This is not necessarily the case, though some Pokémon do die from their injuries. However, if a Trainer has a skilled battler then the last thing they want is to lose that Pokémon. Trainers forfeiting a losing battle to save their Pokémon happens fairly often.

The level of care these Pokémon receive varies. Not all of these unfortunate Pokémon are just thrown to the side until their next battle. Some receive extensive care for their injuries and are given time to recover. During this recovery period the Trainer will use one of their other Pokémon in order to give the battle sick Pokémon a break.

It often surprises people when they hear that some of the Pokémon used in illegal battles actually do have a bond with their Trainer. The Trainers who treat their Pokémon well outside of battle and give their Pokémon the proper care often genuinely care about the wellbeing of their team. The bond is similar to an average Trainer and their Pokémon. Many of these Trainers claim that the unrestricted battles are not inherently abusive. That their Pokémon enjoy an intense battle more than a casual one and these types of battles actually strengthen the bond between them even more.

Conclusion

Although some of these Pokémon are taken care of, there really is no reason to battle like this. It is not worth risking the Pokémon’s safety. It’s true that such battles were the norm centuries ago, but they are now considered an outdated practice. Most people don’t want to see their Pokémon get seriously hurt.

[rei-ismyname]

EXCEPTIONAL X-MEN #3 FTA

After a pretty disappointing week of X-Men comics it's a delight to read and analyse Eve Ewing's Exceptional X-Men. The repeated issues I have with the other titles are just not present here and after three consistent bangers Ewing and co have my trust.

Emma is right

We pick up exactly where issue #2 left off, and this opening scene of all the main characters makes me realise how tightly the execution is. We know where each of them is at and (at least broadly what they want) - we're getting to know the kids organically. Where the other two books feel like action figures isolated from each other for no good reason, Kate Pryde's need to get away from the X-Men was established before the title even began. She just wants a normal life, to date girls and process her trauma. Emma Frost showing up to answer the call she refused throws her off immediately and they briefly scrap. The kids aren't just saying nothing because they didn't get a script today (hi Jubilee) - they're frozen by Emma. It's a small thing, but it's purposeful and flows elegantly.

Priti, Kate's housemate/friend from school, breaks up the fight for the most relatable reason - she doesn't want to lose the security deposit. Perhaps a sign that Kate doesn't fit into the 'norma'l world as much as she wants...or Emma just really knows how to push her buttons. I think Emma is hurting too, though she hides it under her usual scene-stealing exterior. I can't wait for more of their dynamic. Yeah, they'll almost certainly figure out a working relationship but their pain isn't being dismissed either. I feel like the pair are a successful version of what Gail Simone is doing with Rogue.

They stop fighting and have a little tea party, then Axo asks the question I'd been dreading the answer to - 'do you trust Emma or not?' Kate grew up being terrified of Emma with good reason and never let her forget why she did not trust her. Emma spent decades earning that trust and proving herself a hero, leader and teacher - but the First Krakoan Age had them grow closer than ever before. They worked well together and became friends, they were a force for good on Krakoa (mostly.) It's a shame that this is a metric, but two thumbs up for not rolling any of that back. These feel like the members of the resistance who were there for each other in Fall of X. Kate herself is regressing a little, but it's believable as a trauma response.

Kate doesn't want to train young mutants and Emma does. Prito even has a space they can use and the kids are keen! Everyone is happy then, right? Well, I think that's going to be the core tension for a while. Everyone except Kate wants this, but I think Kate needs this.

This 'getting to know you' circle does a lot of work in centering the young mutants, reminding us they're here to stay while showing us who they are and the beginning of their social dynamic. I haven't been a teen for a long time but their voices sound authentic, even to the point of highlighting that Bronze/Trista is a bit younger than the other two.

Agreed, do not read the comments.

They want to be doing this! One of the most challenging parts of being a teen is navigating peer groups. Solidarity in experiencing the same kind of otherness plus scary body changes is healthy, and it's lovely to chalk up a W despite the fact that 'people hate us.'

This issue also asks the question Rogue did in Uncanny #1, but as organic dialectic. It introduces the tension between self defense and being a superhero when you have powers - the difference between Emma and Kate externalised. Kate is excited despite herself until Emma shows up with costumes, and I think she's right to push back or at least be wary. But is this about her or the kids? It's not the most admirable contradiction but it's very human. They're both right that the old ways were flawed and they need to try something new.

Is she talking about Colossus? MF is not that gentle. Their costumes look amazing.

Unsurprisingly, Emma and Kate are a great team. There's tension underneath there, but they wouldn't be doing this if their friendship didn't run deep. New kids in relaunches past have often had their powers explained by Cerebro or a nosy telepath. Learning about it from their mouths as they're starting to use them in a controlled environment achieves the wiki entry, shows them learning to use them, and importantly gives us more of their personality.

Emma conjures up some Brood-like baddies and everyone freaks out but some growth is evident. It's Axo that figures out they're not real. Kate is not impressed. I doubt they'll throw down, but her sending the kids away feels like an extreme reaction. Good, she's got shit to say and hurts that need to be spoken. The kids don't leave, but we're left with all this tension in the air to be resolved next issue.

I LOVE that the three kids cuddle/huddle in the background.

Who better to break the ice (sorry) than Bobby Drake? Having him just fly in the window and cooling down the tension (sorry again) could feel random and silly but it works. These two have a lot of history and it makes sense that he'd seek her out. Kate has been turning her back on anyone X-related - will she freeze Bobby out too? The kids are awed by him and it's half the Marauders back together, so I don't think he'll get the cold shoulder.

I feel very confident in calling Exceptional X-Men the best X-Men book in From The Ashes. It's got an honesty and sincerity to it while remixing the hits of first arcs and adding plenty of new. The art style is colourful and emotive which adds so much to a book taking people's feelings seriously. If you pick up nothing else, this is the one.

[bitegore]

if you're not fussy about texture but like a good taste, I find that you can skip milk/shortener/etc entirely and just use flour, eggs, water and a little extra sugar to accomodate the lack of sweetness from the milk. I know I don't really notice a difference.

Also if you want a really easy gluten free dessert recipe that I use often - amaranth flour, egg, sugar, water, whatever spices you like in your sweets (vanilla extract is my only certain one here). Mix them up, taste the batter to be sure it's sweet enough, and then just put it in the microwave for 2-4 minutes (however long it takes to be 'done' if you stick a fork in it). Sometimes I make a sauce to top it with by just mixing sugar and hot water and pour that over it, but it's pretty good on its own. Amaranth flour has a kind of nutty taste and it comes out richer in flavor than it sounds.

I've done this with almond extract, with rose water and pistachios, with anise extract, and with pumpkin spice, and also if i remember right once i did it with hot pepper flakes and cocoa powder but i might've added more ingredients to that one. Wasn't nearly as good when I mixed any all purpose flour or rice flour in, it's best to just use plain amaranth flour. This is good if you want a sweet treat really badly and don't have the time, energy, patience, etc to make something "real".

you can also make rice pudding with coconut milk instead of dairy milk, it's not the kind of pudding where it changes the recipe significantly

also you can make mulled fruits (pears, oranges, apples, strawberries if you're bold, etc) by poaching certain fruits in a mixture of spices, wine/cider/etc, and sugar, which are also a good treat and have the additional benefit of being pretty unlike any other desserts people recommen and (most likely) not something you remember from your childhood... god knows sometimes the gluten free or dairy free versions of something you've had before in an unadjusted recipe are a ridiculous letdown and it helps me to broaden my horizons and eat things i've never had before instead. (I do enjoy my mulled fruit with ice cream b/c i'm not dairy free these days, but it's probably good with any rich flavors. goes nicely with some savory dishes too, i still dream about a very expensive tiny little cut of lamb with mulled pear sauce i had once years ago and plan on indulging in again as soon as i can make sure someone else pays for it lol)

finally - if you really step outside your usual wheelhouse (I have recently) acorn squash of all the things can be roasted into almost caramel sweetness in the oven, and then turned into soup. My acorn squash soup is a savory dish, but the more i make it (i have so far made a variant of the same soup six times in the last two months, it's delicious and easy if a ltitle time consuming), the more I think about how good it would be if instead of mixing it with chicken broth and hot peppers and garlic and also as many cloves nutmeg ginger cinnamon etc as i can fit in there, i put in some vanilla extract and my usual dessert spices and a bunch of marshmallow and some brown sugar and maple syrup as was suggested in the recipe i didn't follow for the first time i made the soup because it was so sweet without it that i was kind of flabbergasted... basically doing some sort of marshmallow sweet potato soup with it.

☝️ This may not be a universal experience. I've never had acorn squash before this year and this year I had it because I signed up for a local farmshare to force myself to eat some vegetables that weren't onions or grocery store arugula for the first time in half a decade. from what i have both heard and tasted myself, farm produce and grocery store produce vary, sometimes very little and sometimes huge amounts, in terms of taste and especially in terms of sweetness. Your mileage may vary.

This recipe is what i *very very loosely* cribbed my method from, but tbh i didn't use any of the recommended ingredients besides the roast garlic because i didn't have any of them in the house and i don't like to add cream to my dishes (it doesn't need coconut milk or heavy cream - the texture is very smooth on its own!) and instead of topping it with roasted seeds - side note, if you like pumpkin seeds, save the seeds from the squash and soak them in salt water for about an hour (the amount of time it takes to roast the squash), put them on a baking sheet, spritz some oil if you want but its not necessary, dust with spices or lemon juice if you want but again unnecessary, and roast for 20-30 minutes at 300F & you now have basically roast pumpkin seeds for basically free just by having the acorn squash. ive been eating a lot of squash seeds and saving lots of money on bags of chips - i put bacon on it the first time and the second time i just had it plain. its good plain. its good as fuck. im kind of obsessed with this squash and the soup. i eat my dinner and it feels like dessert.

generally i am a big kitchen experimentalist because i hate to follow recipes and i hate to buy ingredients. but truth be told, my experience is also that - having restrictive diets and such that gluten allergies do to you, not even counting dairy - the best way to get desserts that actually taste good to me and also don't cost an arm and a leg is just to fuck around with the basics of decent desserts, like spices you like and sweeteners you like and flours you like and stuff - and just keep adding new elements until you've found dishes that work for you. Most of mine are really lightweight easy things that cook quickly or without a lot of additional work, but i also spend a lot of time making burnt sugar, caramel or toffee because i like sugar a lot and it's cheap and easy and it tastes good. if you like recipes it's probably not easier but i don't like recipes and it's miles easier for me to freestyle my way into accidental glory.

oh one last one! another relatively unusual one, cook rice noodles in coconut water and sugar for Dessert Soup, especially with chopped fruits and nuts and spices in there. and a splash of red wine for body. the red wine is optional but i think it improves it a lot personally

I see you know about gluten free desserts, do you have any good dairy (milk specifically) free cookie recipes? Specifically chocolate chip? (any other desert is alright too... I just miss deserts)

So you can make the tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe (just search "tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe", it's the one ontheback of the bag) with vegetable shortening instead of butter and you can use Njoy chocolate chips and you should have a tasty, crispy, dairy-free chocolate chip cookie.

Also look up 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies, the only ingredients are eggs, peanut butter, and sugar.

You can also make pie pastry with shortening and then make a berry or cherry filling with fruit, water, sugar, lemon juice, and starch for a fully vegan dessert.

And for something different, look up how to make mango sticky rice, which is a Thai dessert made with rice, coconut milk, sugar, and mango.

[sparxyv]

Ravenclaw Buddies 💙

would you join them? 😗

[egginfroggin]

I usually try not to get too negative on my blog, but I have to say that one thing that I'm worried about with AI art is the possible accusations that could be placed on people with certain artstyles (surrealism, hyperrealism, etc.) that are more prone to the "uncanny valley" effect, or even just artists who are in that midway point where most of a piece looks great but there's a few things that are anatomically questionable.

I think it's fine for people to have suspicions, but I'm worried that people will come to expect things such as progress videos or shots as a given, and that this will intimidate young or new artists, making them feel incredibly pressured to provide things that they shouldn't have to. And, speaking from experience, pressure does not do good things to the creative mind.

I'm worried that people will start seeing inconsistencies or awkward anatomy and immediately react with accusations of AI. It's happening on other platforms, and probably also on Tumblr, and as much as I dislike AI, I think that people need to learn to slow down and really look at something before making that accusation.

What good will stamping out AI with vigor do if innocent artists get caught in the crossfire and stop creating out of fear? What good will it do if the next generation of artists is too scared to share and inspire each other?

Genuinely, I would personally rather deal with AI images existing while still being able to freely share my actual works than I would deal with tiptoeing around very real people who would dismiss my hours of work (and musculoskeletal pain) as worthless and not real. Let artists still be free for goodness' sake.

I can be more thoroughly worded later if anyone asks, and this will probably be sorely misinterpreted, but I just need to get this out and I'm tired.

TLDR: It's fine to be against AI-generated images, but please check yourself and be careful who you accuse of using such technology before you get someone innocent caught up in it. AI-generated art isn't great, and neither is putting down someone's hard work as fake.

[unityrain24]

man i know no one cares but i honestly don't know why they blocked me and it's been bugging me and i miss their blog :( and we weren't like close mutuals but we weren't like distant either. we'd send occasional messages or asks or some other interaction :(

[alastyr-not-alastair]

Breaks hands

Alright, let’s get into each of them!

Below is:

Each of the drawings for each character

Their names

And some facts about them

First things first here’s all the individual pics of the characters

In order of colour, the names of each of the scientists are

Blaze

Amber

Storm

Clover

Coral

Aether

Berry

If you look closely, you can see that Rainbow Steve actually has at least one of each of their features!

(Totally like that wasn’t the point of the whole edit hahahaha what are you talking about?

Let’s go in order of each of the characters, shall we?

First of all we have Blaze

- You’ve seen him before because I drew him one other time for lighting practice

- Rainbow has his nose

- Blaze is a pure fire type red steve, he does not have any sort of ability to control lava, no matter how hard he tries.

- The markings on Blaze’s face are just that, markings that he’s had since he was a child

- He was one of the few reds in his village that actually knew common, but he only ever learned it because he wanted to be able to work on large scale experiments

- He also used to eat redstone as a kid sometimes and only stopped because his parents found out, grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and held him in place while washing his mouth out in a panic

Secondly we have Amber

- Rainbow has his eye shape

- Amber is a healer type orange steve, he has no abilities to manipulate matter

- The colouration on Amber’s face is some freckles

- He was actually considered pretty strange compared to other oranges since he spent much more time on actual science stuff rather than the creatives

- He once accidentally got powdered colour everywhere as a kid while trying to make a recipe that was better than the traditional dye making ones. It succeeded but he was coughing pigment for days

Next up we have Storm

- Rainbow has his ears

- Storm is a combo type yellow steve, born with both the abilities of speed and lightning

- The lightning mark on his face is actually a scar, he was accidentally electrocuted by a younger sibling when he was in his teens, the scar spans from his face to his arm, down to his fingers

- Storm is actually a middle child in his family, not the oldest but far from the youngest

- He ran face first into a tree once because the moment that he was about to sprint over the sapling, it grew right then and there. No one ever believed him

Fourth up is Clover

- Rainbow has his lips

- Clover is a plant manipulator type green steve, he is unable to speak to plants

- Clover does not have a second eye, it was taken out in an experiment he and his crew were doing while trying to create a seed launcher for offensive purposes. It shot a seed directly into his eye, which instantly grew and gouged it out.

- He’s known for being a genius when it comes to plant growth, to the point where his works can be used for offensive purposes (as seen above)

- as a kid, he would run into the woods and just hang around there for a while messing with his powers, until one of the elders found him in a mini city made of plants and realized this kid might have a gift

Moving along to Coral

- coral blue #5…

- Rainbow has his eye colour

- Rainbow has the least similarities to him, but Light on the other hand… he looks pretty similar, don’t you think?

- Coral is a water type blue steve, being unable to control ice or handle the cold too much

- The marks on Coral’s face are just facial markings, they started as smaller diamonds but grew as he got older. It’s a side effect of living in an area with a high population density

- when he was younger, Coral would go and hide himself from everyone, usually a hidy hole in the library to read a few books like a NERRRDDD

Comin up on Aether

- You can’t really see it but Rainbow got his eyebrows

- Aether is a teleported type purple steve, no access to any sort of pocket dimension like some other purple steves

- There’s a large scar on one side his face due to an end crystal explosion, the explosion was harsh enough that it messed up his eye as well. Between him and Clover they have a total of 1 pair of working eyes

- Aether used to work in a different lab, which is where the end crystal explosion happened. He didn’t stick around for long after that due to a bunch of other osha violations

- As a kid, Aether was a massive sleep teleporter, it was more often for him to wake up in some random unknown place than to actually be in his bed

Last but not least we have Berry

- Rainbow has his jawline

- Berry is a mild mind control type violet steve, unlike the common empathetic types

- The marks on his face aren’t natural marks, they’re gently cut into skin and taken care of until they scar for every large achievement made

- Despite the whole mind control type, it’s not something that’s super strong, and compared to other powers it may even be seen as weak

- As a kid, Berry would go around trying his best to do good deeds in hopes that they would be good enough for him to earn some marks, he didn’t earn them until he later on made a few scientific discoveries, which is why he got the majority of his marks

I feel obligated to also add in the height chart made for them

Rainbow Steve is just all their heights averaged out

Legally required to add my stats on the drawings as well

Do I look like him?

[camping-with-monsters]

A relatively new addition to the cast of Duck Duck Goose, this is the malevolent and ill-tempered Little Bo Peep!

A ruthless little girl of blood and wool, she’s got a thin patience to those that oppose the goal of the sheep. She’s got quite the arsenal around her— a widespread flock of friendly looking little lambs that are much less cutesy when in battle. With relentless little manic sheep that are spotted all over the place, the sheep are spoken to have a vendetta against canine-kind and all things wolf-related, as they’ve grown tired of being thrown around and hunted so mercilessly by all the real big bad wolves of the world. When prey becomes predator, a leader is to be crowned to remind of the motive— and this is where Bo Peep— a girl perfectly fit for the job— comes into play.

Little Bo Peep is the human protector of these wooly little animals, and she’s been crowned to represent what they want— revenge; against all who have ever feasted their chop and harvested their wool. She’s uptight and snobbish— a total brat far too spoiled beyond repair. She makes the utmost perfect host for controlling, frolicking alongside the flock as it continues to flourish and grow. The sheep and their leader are the living proof not to trust all things cute and cuddly. In fact, they’re all proof that trust is a fragile virtue granted and destroyed— all you have to do is look into the gaze of Bo Peep the wrong way and you’ll find yourself with wool over your eyes!

Special thanks to @pazam, @menthum-mint and @shroingushour for some help with ideas for the finalized design! I had a little bit of trouble making her outfit a little more interesting initially, haha!

[keeps-ache]

ggghhg i hate vehiclessssssss ghghghhghhhhh [dies dies dies forever]

[letmetellyouaboutmyfeels]

The I feel like she sees me line being said to Eddie who is the person that truly sees Buck for all that he is. Are we supposed to take this line at face value which would indicate piss poor writing because they needed to rush to a horrible ending or do we take it as Buck being an unreliable narrator? What was the audience supposed to interpret from Buck saying that, were we truly supposed to believe him or we supposed to be pissed at Buck for saying this to the one person that truly sees Buck?

Good morning to me, I guess.

I'm assuming you haven't really seen people's reactions in the fandom on tumblr because I feel like I saw this said in quite a few posts going around, but you are absolutely not supposed to take this line at face value. I'm surprised that people think you should. 9-1-1 has from the beginning had a habit of turning friendships into romantic relationships (Bathena and Madney) and taking their time with these things rather than having an instalove situation. Even Karen and Hen, who meet when they're set up on a date together, don't instantly fall in love. I do not think they would set Eddie or Buck up for an endgame relationship with a woman by having them date that woman immediately, even if they didn't plan to make Buddie canon.

Buck is clearly struggling post-death. He's lost and once again looking for the answer from a romantic partner. He did a lot of growth in regards to his family relationships this season but not his romantic ones. Remember, his couch ended up destroyed and he asked his latest girlfriend to pick the new one out for him. Again. He's still not picking his own damn couch. After being unable to sleep on the one his mom gave him but passed out instantly on Eddie's where he ran to feel safe.

If people think this is all, somehow, an accident or the writers are doing this without knowing what they're doing, then I can't help you. Do you also think the symbolism I put into my fanfics are a total accident? Do you guys think I picked the name of the poem "Fuchsia Emerald Alizarin Rose" just because the colors are fun and they accidentally spell out F.E.A.R. or do you think maybe I did that absolutely 100% on purpose and was waiting for someone to realize?

Buck saying that to Eddie is 100% supposed to make the audience raise their eyebrows. Especially when we see Eddie's reaction. He's confused and he's hurt and he's annoyed. Eddie then spends his next few lines showing Buck (and us) that he sees Buck. Buck misses it, it goes right over his head, but the audience is shown that Buck is wrong and Eddie sees him.

I think there was a lot of internal stuff going on behind the scenes way high up the ladder that meant Buddie didn't happen this season. No, I don't mean that in a tinhatting way, I just mean that they knew Fox wouldn't renew them, they didn't know if they'd get picked up somewhere else, Fox hasn't promoted or cared about this show the way it has its other shows in a while, and I think it's pretty clear there was shuffling and changes going on with 6B. So I think things had to be put off. Similar to the pandemic, where I genuinely wonder what kind of season four we would've gotten if we'd had the full 18 episodes and hadn't had to work around Covid. I think that when we know there was a big shift going on behind the scenes, we need to have some grace and patience in how that will effect the story that's told on screen.

But I think that this default to "everything good we see on our screens is an accident and the writers are making shitty choices" is a horrible bad faith argument, and it's exhausting. Aren't you exhausted? I'm exhausted. Fandom shouldn't treat the writing and production team like their enemies any more than the writing and production team should treat the fans like their enemies in some kind of war they have to win (looking at you, GoT showrunners).

We are supposed to be annoyed that Buck is missing the point. We are supposed to see Buck's yearning to be a husband and a father, and how he's missing what's right in front of him. We are supposed to put two and two together and see that Eddie was hurt by Buck's words, that Eddie sees Buck, that Eddie is Buck's safe place, and that Eddie in that moment decided he might not have a chance with Buck and needs to move on, because previously we saw Eddie admit he wants romance again but he doesn't want to go out on dates, we saw his aunt say she met her husband through work, we saw him say 'we have time' and then we saw him immediately after Buck tells him about this new girl who "sees him" flee to visit his mother and then immediately actually try dating. On a meta level this is also because Eddie needs confidence in himself as a romantic partner and needs some more experience under his belt before he's ready to take the plunge with Buck, but in Eddie's mind, I think it's pretty clear he feels Buck will never want him back and he's trying to find the love he wants somewhere else, even if his heart is still Buck's.

So that's what I think. I think it's not explicitly spelled out for a few reasons, but frankly if one of them was a woman we wouldn't need it explicitly spelled out and personally I kinda like that it's not. Something that annoys me with M/F pairings is the constant "we all know you two like each other" talks from third parties that half the time aren't about the characters but are about the audience, to either tell the audience SEE THEY LIKE EACH OTHER THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT or to give the audience some fanservice while the characters aren't ready to get together. I don't need to be pandered to that way, thank you, so I'm a fan of the slightly more subtle approach that I, personally, see going on with Buddie.

If you or anyone else disagrees with me and feels it was just "piss poor writing" then that's entirely your right. I'd just appreciate it if people who feel that way would stop watching the show, and stop putting their complaints into the inboxes of people who clearly do enjoy the show.

TL;DR - You answered your own question, Buck is an unreliable narrator (and always has been) and we are supposed to be frustrated he said this to Eddie who has proven time and again (and does so in that very scene) that he sees Buck.

[sabraeal]

hii, I’m still the hakuouki anon, i do like sanan but I agree with you that he’s inconsistent and it’s a shame (the thing I actually disliked the most about his route though was kodo just randomly trying to redeem himself like he was talking about locking chizuru up for life then changed his mind?? lmao) Would be interested to know what felt groomy in his route if you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts!! your fave is yamazaki ofc but do you have any other faves? sorry for the rant, hope u have or had a nice day💗💗

I don't actually really care to talk about it, no! I've played his route twice, the last time in 2021, and didn't enjoy it either time, and that's enough for me. I don't really need to relive it through discourse.

Favorite routes is a hard question because I feel like when people ask, it's because they're assuming you self-ship, when I am really just here to make my dolls kiss 🤣My favorite routes are typically the ones where the MC vibes well with the LI, or at least there is a good STORY attached to it. So Yamazaki is my #1 because he's the one route where I feel like Chizuru is seen as a peer rather than like...precious cargo. But there's definitely a few others I really like!

Shinpachi-- the whole set up with them trying to do a whole big brother/little sister relationship that instantly falls apart because the lack of sexual expectation makes them emotionally vulnerable? Chef's kiss 10/10 trope, wish it didn't have the sulk cabin but what can you do.

Saito-- great slow burn with the perfect demi-panic for Saito when he realizes he has sexual feels for Chizuru. This was my favorite route until I played Yamazaki's a couple routes later

Kazama-- after bracing myself for an unapologetic villain fucker route, was pleasantly surprise to find out that his EB vibe is "dog who caught the car." He's got Chizuru and has no idea what to do with her, end up following her to the ends of the earth (aka hokkaido) so that she can have closure

Ryouma-- not actually a great fit for Chizuru, but him and Nakaoka are the best looking men in the game, and the spy vs spy romance Ryouma thought they were living vs Chizuru actually being oblivious was a JOY.

I also enjoyed Heisuke, even though his route overall didn't have the same pull for me the other ones did. Corgis in love vibes are impeccable, but I feel like Yamazaki's route did the whole "shinsengumi's worst soldier" with more emotional stakes, there's a whole chapter that is just retreading angst so that Chizuru and Heisuke don't get together too soon, which honestly would have been the superior choice. It DOES give us the BEST Kazama though, and Kazama/Sen, which kept me well fed through the last half of EB.

[megarywrites]

idk why it took my so long to realize this today but the part I wrote earlier makes a good parallel between Thalera's developing relationship and the relationship of Thala's parents, which is something that I'm trying to do (to demonstrate their compatibility and eventual longevity once they're together) but while I was writing it earlier it didn't even cross my mind lol